Air pollution is a serious problem that endangers the health of millions of people in the European Union. According to a new study by the European Environment Agency, almost 240,000 Europeans die every year as a result of particulate matter, ozone and nitrogen dioxide in the air. These alarming figures show that air quality in Europe is far from the levels recommended by the World Health Organization.
The planned introduction of new driving bans for diesel cars with Euro 5 engines and petrol cars with Euro 2 engines has been postponed until January 2027. Thousands of vehicles would have been affected by the original plans. The postponement met with opposition from the green parties Ecolo, Groen and Défi, while the majority of parliament supported the postponement.
The introduction of low emission zones is a hotly debated topic in Sweden, especially the introduction of low emission zone 3, which excludes certain vehicles from certain parts of the city. In Gothenburg and Stockholm, political decision-makers have different views on how this low emission zone should be implemented. While Stockholm wants to include all vehicles in the low emission zone, Gothenburg has decided to exclude buses from this regulation.
The city of The Hague in the Netherlands has made a far-reaching decision: From January 1, 2025, all advertising for conventional combustion engine cars will be banned. This is intended to promote the switch to more environmentally friendly alternatives and set an example for climate protection.
BMW Board Member for Production Milan Nedeljkovic recently suggested that electric cars should be given preferential treatment in road traffic in order to boost demand. This idea has attracted both supporters and critics. While some see it as a necessary step towards promoting electromobility, others warn of possible negative effects on traffic and the equal treatment of all road users.
Salzburg is about to experience a revolution in public transportation - the introduction of hydrogen buses as part of the ZEMoS project. The Salzburg Transport Association and Salzburg AG are investigating the efficiency of battery-electric and fuel cell-electric technologies in order to find the best solution for emission-free mobility.
A new legal opinion describes the planned ban on combustion engines in the EU from 2035 as unlawful. Professor Martin Kment from the University of Augsburg argues that the CO2 fleet regulation, which regulates CO2 emissions in the EU, violates EU law. This could mean that the EU's plans to introduce all-electric vehicles in the future could be put on hold.
The European elections have brought the issue of the combustion ban back into focus. Experts from various fields were asked by FOCUS online what they think about maintaining or lifting the planned ban in 2035. The experts' opinions are divided and it seems that the discussion about the future of vehicle propulsion is far from over.
World Environment Day is an important day celebrated annually on June 5 to raise awareness of environmental issues and promote action to protect the environment. This day was established in 1972 at the first World Environment Conference and has since been supported by many countries around the world.
The idea of a car toll in Germany is back on the table - despite the failure of earlier plans and the resulting high compensation claims. Economic experts are urging the German government to introduce a route-based toll in order to modernize the ailing transport infrastructure. But how realistic is this plan after the debacle surrounding former Transport Minister Andreas Scheuer's earlier toll plans?
